What is the Graston Technique?

22 Oct 2012 Your Overall Health , , , , , ,

How was the Graston Technique Developed?

The Graston Technique was conceived by David Graston, an athlete who suffered a debilitating knee injury and was frustrated by his lack of progress using traditional methods for rehabilitation. However, the origin of this technique is quite a bit older. In fact, many patients naturally call Graston “scraping”, which is the name of the ancient technique that was used by “medicine men” in many cultures. Graston is a new take on an old remedy that works very well.  What makes it more effective than it was 100 years ago is that through engineering and design, the tools are created using specific angles, which increases therapeutic usage on specific areas of the body.

Clinical studies and research at Ball State University and Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana found that the controlled micro trauma induced through the use of Graston tools actually helped initiate healing. The structure of the tissue is rearranged, and damaged tissue is replaced by new tissue.  Healthy tissue forms an organized lattice much like a thick rope, which is made up of many smaller fibers.  Once the tissue is damaged, those small fibers become rearranged and turn into small knots. The Graston Technique acts much like an iron that goes into those small damaged fibers and straightens them out restoring an injured weak tissue to its proper strength. Clinical studies continue to document that Graston Technique generally results in better outcomes when compared to traditional therapies in resolving injuries that have failed to respond to other treatments.

 Do practitioners require certification?

Yes. Graston Technique is part of the curriculum at 49 respected colleges and Universities.  The certification is post doctorate work that a practitioner can participate in to achieve full certification.  Both Dr. Ho and Dr. Walker are certified and part of the GT Provider Network.

How do the Graston tools work?

The technique is delivered through the use of six hand held stainless steel instruments. A specially designed lubricant is applied to the skin to allow the instrument to glide over the tissue without causing irritation. The tool acts much like a stethoscope allowing the doctor to isolate adhesions and restrictions and then treat them with precision. The skin of damaged tissue will feel gritty or sandy under your skin; these are the adhesions on the muscle and fascia.  Graston has the advantage of penetrating tissue at a deep level much the same way a deep tissue or cross friction massage does, but with the added benefit of being more comfortable during the treatment process.

Does it hurt?

Patients may experience mild discomfort during the treatment and may also experience a bit of bruising. The bruising will look much like a small red area of dots. This is a common response from the body when a therapeutic process is taking place. Icing the area and rest should ease the discomfort. After you receive a treatment, gentle exercise will help to flush out any chemicals that are present in the body due to dysfunction and inflamed tissue. The exercise should be mild and not cause a great degree of discomfort to the treated tissue. Usually a 10-minute walk will do the trick.

Holistic medicine and diets are a great option to manage an ADD child.

22 Oct 2012 Healthy Child , , , , , , , ,

Currently the diagnosis for ADD and ADHD is becoming more and more common for students and children with extra activity.  The most common form of treatment is to give stimulant type drugs that enable the children to focus and harness their energy.  However we find that stimulants are not only hard on children’s health but also not a good long term fix.  What most parents feel passionate about is what are the healthier and more of the long term options for their child?  The answer is holistic medicine and diets can actually be a really great option to manage an ADD child.

The first option is diet.  Numerous amounts of children with ADD or ADHD have food sensitivities of some kind.  There are two types of immunoglobulin’s IgE and IgG.  IgE antibodies are the ones that cause an immediate allergic reaction.  An example of this is a child that eats a peanut and then has an immediate allergic reaction which can put them in danger of not being able to breathe.  IgG antibodies are a delayed sensitivity that can cause numerous symptoms. The symptoms include but are not limited to: fatigue, behavior modification, headaches, sore-throat, loose stool, constipation, mood changes and decrease in immunity due to body inflammation.

The second option is homeopathy.  Homeopathic medicine is very effective in treating not only ADD but also other childhood behavioral disorders.  This is a type of treatment that is easy for kids to take and produces remarkable results.  Parents love it too since they don’t have to force their kids to take something that doesn’t taste good. An example of Homeopathy is taking a specific symptom or personality and diluting compounds that would enhance that symptom.  By diluting the compound only a mild remnant remains and this stimulates a negative feedback loop causing the body to stop the overactive symptoms of ADD.  This reaction helps the body to teach itself to adapt to its lack of concentration by knowing when it’s time to focus and when there is an appropriate time to be energetic.  This can be very empowering for both the parents and child.

The third option is to modulate their daily activity.  For most of us, it can be very challenging as a parent since it requires you to get your child on a schedule that can sometimes be very strict.  This schedule would include exercise, a set bedtime and scheduled study or homework time.

Our Los Gatos office can help with any and all of these elements. We would love to answer any questions you have.

Allergies : Overview

22 Oct 2012 Your Overall Health , , , , , , , , ,

In California, every season can be allergy season. It’s hard to know whether sneezing and a stuffy or runny nose is a common cold or a reaction to the lovely tree outside your bedroom window.  With so many treatment options, we want to share In Health’s tips on how to weather your allergic season, whenever it might be.

What causes an allergic reaction?

When any substance enters the body it is tagged as either “foreign” or “self”.  If the substance is tagged as foreign, the body’s immune system will attack it to protect you. The problem comes when your immune system attacks something that is either not harmful, or is something you are commonly exposed to such as trees, grass or wheat. Our body should not recognize these as foreign, but unfortunately that isn’t always the case.

Our immunity comes from cells that are made in the bone marrow.  We have two types of reactions; one is an immediate allergic response and the other is a delayed hypersensitivity. These two reactions are triggered by different cells that are produced in the marrow. The immunity cells live in the tissues around blood vessels and nerves, and in your bloodstream. These are the areas that are most sensitive to an allergic material.

When a foreign substance is recognized, these cells surround the substance and release chemicals such as histamine that cause vasodilation and smooth tissue contraction with increased permeability to capillaries. This translates into basic symptoms, such as coughing, sneezing, itchy, runny eyes. A more delayed response might manifest as fatigue, bowel upset, and other nagging symptoms which can be prolonged due to tissue damage in multiple areas of the body.  These symptoms can eventually lead to chronic disease.

What happens to our cells when exposed to an allergen?

When an allergen gets in and attaches to the outside of a cell, the cell’s antibodies react with the protein of that molecule. If enough of the allergen, or antigen as is referred to in immunology, accumulates in the body, there is a major release of inflammatory chemicals. The cells will de-granulate and release the chemicals they have been producing such as:

  • Histamine
  • Interleukin 1-13
  • Gamma-interferon
  • Transforming growth factor
  • Tumor Necrosis factor
  • Lymphotoxin

What symptoms do allergies cause?

  • Runny Nose
  • Itchy watery eyes
  • Hives
  • Throat swelling and difficulty swallowing
  • Vomiting and abdominal pain
  • Cramps
  • Hives
  • Rashes and eczema
  • Fainting or blacking out
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Congestion and difficulty breathing
  • Mental confusion and dizziness

What is an allergy versus a sensitivity?

Typically allergies occur when the antibody most present is the IgE reaction. This reaction can be towards foods like peanuts or environmental allergens like pollen and grass.  The symptoms are immediate and include, but are not limited to:

  • Swelling of the throat
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Vomiting
  • Fainting or blacking out
  • Tongue swelling
  • Hives
  • Rash
  • Itching

Food sensitivities are a delayed immune response that occurs with IgG reactions.  The delayed sensitivity usually occurs about 2 to 72 hours after the contamination often causing chronic inflammation. Symptoms can include:

  • Sore throat
  • Decreased ability to concentrate
  • Achy joints
  • Skin conditions (eczema, rash, hives)
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Gas, bloating
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Headaches
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Aggressive or hyperactive behavior in children
  • Colic and increased spit up

What are the most common causes of food allergies?

Milk and dairy, soy, wheat, nuts and eggs.

Why is it important to treat allergies?

A simple allergy, if not properly treated, can develop into more severe health problems.  As we understand in medicine today, many modern diseases have a strong correlation to inflammation, which can lead to ill health.  Some of these diseases are:

  • IBS
  • Crohn’s
  • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Fibromyalgia
  • All types of arthropathy
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Heart disease
  • Cancer
  • Weight gain
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Thyroid conditions

When you have an immune system that is allowed to run rampant with inflammation, you basically turn that body into an autoimmune reaction which can damage sensitive organs, the thyroid being one of the most sensitive. These are some of the reasons that ignoring an allergy or sensitivity can be potentially hazardous to our health. Perhaps not today or tomorrow, but down the road chronic inflammation will begin to damage all tissues and organs.

How do you test for allergies?

  • Grid testing
  • Blood Test
    • IgE
    • IgG

Conventional medicine uses the grid testing (scratch test) to diagnose environmental allergens. However, if you eat dairy and develop a stomachache a grid test will not necessarily result in a positive response. A blood test that is done specifically for the IgE and IgG antibodies can determine sensitivity.

How are allergies treated?

  • Antihistamine
  • Anti-inflammatories
  • Modulating stress
  • Increasing cortisol levels that naturally block inflammation
  • GI tract healing to reduce reactivity
  • Remove food allergies
  • Desensitization drops
  • Homeopathic drainage
  • Lifestyle changes
  • Dietary changes
  • Acupuncture to calm the nervous system
  • Shots
  • Vitamins

At in Health, we try and diagnose the cause of the problem, which includes food allergy testing as well as herbal and botanical non-drowsy antihistamine and anti-inflammatories. Desensitization drops help the body adapt to an allergen without having a major reaction. This is the same philosophy as the injections given by your allergist, but you can administer them to yourself.  The process typically begins with environmental allergens and then moves to food allergens. We also make sure that your digestive tract is free of dysbiosis that may cause bad bacteria and yeast to infest your gut resulting in an overload on your immune system. We test this through stool samples and get specific results that allow us to attack the specific bugs plaguing you.

What is Bursitis?

22 Oct 2012 Pain, Your Overall Health , , , , , , , ,

What is bursitis?

Bursitis is caused by inflammation of a bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body.  There are approximately 160 bursae in the body.  The major bursae are located bordering the tendons near large joints such as the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles. 

What causes bursitis?

Bursitis is most often caused by repetitive minor impact on the area, or a serious injury.  In addition, incorrect posture at work or home and poor stretching or conditioning before exercise can also lead to bursitis. The following risk factors have been associated with the development of bursitis:

  • Repetitive stress or overuse injury
  • Spine disease
  • Joint-related injury
  • Bone spurs or calcium deposits
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Leg-length inequality

Who usually gets bursitis?

Bursitis is more common in adults, especially women over 40 years of age.

What parts of the body does bursitis affect?

Any part of the body that has a bursa can be irritated and inflamed.  However, the following joints have the highest risk factors for the development of bursitis:

  • Shoulder
  • Elbow
  • Hip
  • Knee
  • Achilles tendon

What are the symptoms of bursitis?

The symptoms of bursitis are directly related to the level of inflammation of the bursa.  The inflamed bursa can cause localized pain and tenderness.  If the bursa is so severely inflamed that swelling occurs, it can cause local redness and warmth.  The pain may increase gradually or sudden.  If calcium deposits are present, the pain can be severe. 

How can I prevent bursitis?

Avoiding behaviors and activities that make the inflammation of the bursa worse is the best way to prevent bursitis.  For example:

  • Avoid repetitive activities that put stress on the bursa.
  • Maintain strength and flexibility of the muscle surrounding the joint/bursa.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.

How is bursitis treated?

The doctor will feel the joint for swelling or tenderness.  An x-ray may be taken or fluid from the bursa may be removed with a small needle to check for infection.

Drug therapies include:

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)  reduce pain and swelling.  Over the counter NSAIDs include: ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve). Be forewarned that using NSAIDs over a long period of time can increase the risk of stomach bleeding and heart attack.
  • Corticosteroid injections into the bursa can reduce inflammation.  Usually only one shot is needed.  Sometimes oral corticosteroids are used to treat chronic inflammation.

Natural therapies include:

  • A healthy diet including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish and avoiding sugary, fatty and processed foods.
  • Nutraceuticals such as glucosamine sulfate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C with flavonoids and bromelain
  • Herbs such as Boswellia (Boswellia serrata), Turmeric (Curcuma Longa), White Willow (Salic Alba)

The use of nutraceuticals and herbs can decrease the level of inflammation.  However, they can trigger side effects and can interact with other herbs, nutraceuticals, or medications.  They should be taken with care, and under the supervision of a health care provider.

While massage may be tempting to relieve pain, it is not recommended until an infection has been ruled out. Then it may help to reduce the discomfort from a sore joint.

Chiropractic and Movement Therapy

  • Mobilizing the muscles around the joints will help reduce the pressure on the joint and bursa.
  • Graston Therapy may help break down adhesion, increasing flexibility and reducing muscle tension.
  • Other therapies, including chiropractic adjustments and muscle release techniques, may also be helpful to improve muscles and ligaments and reduce the tension caused by repetitive motions.
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